A former royal palace in Kerala changed many hands before restorer LADY HAMLYN transformed it into a boutique stay for guests who like to be treated like royals Manju Sara Rajan.
The fate of a house depends on the fortunes of its owner. Should the standing and wealth of its master decline, like when a king loses his kingdom, then only luck can save the architecture. Considered like that, Chittoor Kottaram is one lucky building. It was built as a house for kings, but even though the kingdom dissolved, the rulers were replaced, and most vintage mansions like it eviscerated, this kottaram in Kerala held on, and now enjoys a second life as a luxurious single-key hotel.
Kottaram is the Malayalam word for ‘palace’. And Chittoor is best known for the Krishna temple within its pincode. The Chittoor Road, which connects the area with Kochi, Kerala’s financial capital, was built to access the temple, and the kottaram was a shortstop home for the Cochin rulers during temple visits. After Independence, as the state’s royals lost power, the maharajah declared he would surrender his palaces since a king without a kingdom was no longer in need of them. Yet, Chittoor Kottaram remained within the family because as a dwelling with just three bedrooms, it wasn’t officially classified as a palace. That twist of nomenclature rescued this manor from turning into another state edifice.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2018-Ausgabe von VOGUE India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2018-Ausgabe von VOGUE India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
